Dead Without Knowing
by Elbatsnu
Summary: AU, 1+2+1 - Emotionally scarred Heero Lowe and his young niece take a secret vacation, meet an interesting Violet-eyed young man on the way, all the while with no idea that they missed their own funerals.
1. chapter one

Summary: Emotionally scarred Heero Lowe and his young niece take a secret vacation, meet an interesting Violet-eyed young man on the way, all the while with no idea that they missed their own funerals.  
  
Warnings: BOOM! Bombs are bad. Really, really mild gore. Oh, and somebody's dead. You don't get to see it though. The death I mean. Eventual shounen- ai. (male/male romantic relationship) If that bugs you, don't read it. Simple as that.  
  
Pairings: None (in this chapter)  
  
Spoilers: Um… no. Nothing anybody would recognize without knowing the Episode Zeros, but I'm not sure if I'll use parts of those…  
  
Disclaimer: Fun things like the anime Gundam Wing aren't mine, nor do I hold rights to their characters, plots, or witty sayings. The only thing I own here is the idea for this fanfic. At least, I think that's totally mine… Oh, and cheese is not mine. …Well it isn't!  
  
Notes: All right, let me explain a few of the variables here. This takes place in the same timeframe as GW and GWEW, but things like Gundams don't exist, but Gundanium does. In this particular story Gundanium is a power source. Treize Kushranada isn't part of OZ. OZ doesn't exist. Neither does Romafeller. Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, Chang Wufei, etc., aren't who they were in the series. Get the picture? I thought I'd clear that up though, because this uses "AC" to mark years just like the series. Now, on with the fic!  
  
  
  
May 16, AC 196  
  
A news reporter flickers onto the screen, and behind her is a large graveyard filled with tombstones and flowers. She gestures behind her and speaks,  
  
"The funeral for Trowa Barton Lowe was held today in Perbrooke Memorial Graveyard, and grieving citizens of this county have come to show their respects to Relena Darlien Lowe and Heero Yuy Lowe, the remaining heirs of the Lowe family. The eldest Lowe, at the heartbreaking young age of twenty- two, had been in a car crash with his younger brother, but Heero, nineteen, was not severely hurt. During the ceremonies today, it was heartbreaking seeing the now eldest heir Heero's response to the crowds, and to his younger sister Relena, who is an eighteen-year-old mother obviously struggling to accept that her brother is gone.."  
  
The screen switches to a previously recorded sequence, in which a young man with dark blue eyes and wild brown hair is screaming at anyone who comes near him. A shorter girl with long dirty-blonde hair puts her hand on his shoulder, and he jerks away. Their father, Odin Lowe, moves in to scold the boy, but Heero whirls and starts yelling at him as well. A small toddler is seen approaching him and pulling on his pant leg. He looks down at her, arm raised, but then pauses. His arm drop to his side and he collapses to the ground, body racked with sobs for his lost brother. The toddler throws her arms around him, light blonde hair acting as a cape, and the image fades out.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
AC 201, New Years Eve1  
  
"Mister Lowe?"  
  
Twenty-four year old Heero Lowe didn't look up at the source of the voice. He gave a slight nod to indicate that he'd heard them, but that was all.  
  
He'd been reading over the final reports of the year. He was an executive at one of his father's many Gundanium factories. Just because one day he was to inherit millions from his father didn't mean he wasn't expected to work for his own. Heero was actually a very wealthy man. His particular factory was stationed in the L1 cluster, and he'd ended up spending the entire Christmas weekend doing paperwork instead of spending time with his niece like he'd promised. He hated breaking promises.  
  
"Yes?" he clipped, not wanting to have any more of his time wasted. He glanced up, finding it was only his secretary, and looked back at his work. He only had a few more days of work left, then he would leave his god forsaken job and move far, far away from his younger sister.  
  
"Mrs. Darlien is here to see you, sir." Heero sighed mentally, Speak of the devil. He nodded to the young girl, and she disappeared back into the main room. Seconds later a rosy-cheeked Relena and a bundle of blonde hair walked through his office door. Heero blatantly ignored Relena, and focused on the six-year-old with her.  
  
"Hello, Dorothy," Heero smiled warmly at her, a gesture he rarely used for anyone. He loved his niece dearly, plus it made his sister jealous, so he did it only for her. The young girl looked up, light blue eyes dancing as she smiled shyly.  
  
"Hello, uncle Heero." Dorothy looked much more like her late father than her mother with her crystal eyes. Her forked eyebrows were courtesy of her father's family - particularly her grandfather's - genetic influence. The young girl had never met her father's family, and was blissfully unaware of her spiteful aunt Mariemeia. Spiteful only in Relena's eyes, Heero thought she was hilarious.  
  
As if she knew he was thinking of her, Relena cleared her throat. Heero winked at Dorothy before giving his younger sibling his attention.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Relena frowned, but said nothing. Heero's eyes narrowed minutely and he continued to speak. "I see you went through with it, although I'm not surprised. You always said you hated the name Lowe, but I was surprised that you changed it to Darlien. Relena Catalonia-Darlien," Heero practiced the name, finding it easier to say.  
  
"I don't hate it, I just prefer my middle name to it."  
  
"I'm sure," Heero continued to look at her, and when she refused to speak, he took a deep breath. "Surely you didn't come down here to stare at me, dear sister." Relena glared at him, but his face remained passive.  
  
"I have a conference that will keep me out of town for at least a month, maybe more. I was hoping you would take care of Dorothy." Heero smirked inwardly. He knew that Dorothy was 'difficult' child at times, and that in fact she had probably demanded to stay with her dear uncle Heero. It drove Relena crazy.  
  
"Of course," was all he said, and Relena nodded. She walked out of the office and returned shortly with two suitcases, both a fluorescent shade of pink. She gave Dorothy a friendly pat on the head, and turned to Heero again.  
  
"I will phone your house at promptly 7:00 P.M. to wish Dorothy good night. I expect you to be home, and her to be in bed. I will not accept her running around like a hooligan like last time. Understood?"  
  
Heero permitted himself to snort, amused by the wild rage that flickered across his sister's features. "Of course, Relena. I understand perfectly."  
  
"Good, good bye for now, then. She nodded to the both of them, then turned and left the office. Heero waited a full minute before standing, walking to his niece, then grinned and pulled her into a giant bear hug. Dorothy squealed with delight, kicking her legs as she was lifted from the ground.  
  
"Dorothy," Heero's grin faded, tone becoming serious. "You heard your mother. No more hooliganiness."  
  
"Uncle Heero, that's not a word!" Her delicate nose crinkled in amusement.  
  
Heero smirked. "You're so smart. One day you're going to be smarter than me, you know."  
  
"No way!" Dorothy's eyes became wide, and Heero smiled at her.  
  
"Yes way. So, how about we go ice cream?"  
  
"Great idea! Where are we gonna go?"  
  
"L2."  
  
Dorothy's face was the epitome of confusion. "Nani, uncle Heero? L2? Isn't that a whole different LaGrange Point?"  
  
He ruffled her hair. "I told you, smarter than me one day."  
  
"But, my mother said we were supposed to be in by 7:00!" Heero couldn't help but notice the hesitant way she said 'mother'. "Are we going there JUST for ice cream?"  
  
Heero scoffed. "Of course not. I've had my home phone rewired to dial my cell phone. We can go to L2 and your mother will never know, unless of course, you don't want to." He turned to his desk for dramatics, shuffling papers and putting them into stacks, no longer caring about the day's report. Who would he give to the report to, anyway?  
  
"Of course I want to, uncle Heero! I just don't want mother to yell at you like last time." Heero smiled. His niece was so cute.  
  
"Why don't you let me worry about your mother, my dear Dorothy."  
  
"All right," Dorothy said hesitantly. "But why L2? Aren't those the poor colonies?"  
  
Heero arched an eyebrow. "Who told you that?"  
  
"Mother did." It surprised Heero to think that Relena actually spoke to her daughter.  
  
"L2 may not be as wealthy as L4 or L1, but that doesn't necessarily make it poor. Besides," Heero trailed off, making sure Dorothy was listening. "People don't know me on L2, there isn't a factory there. On L2 I can be Heero Yuy, not Heero Lowe."  
  
"Can I change my name too? I want to be Dorothy Catalonia, like my father!"  
  
Heero smiled warmly. "Of course, Dore. Okay, grab a suitcase, and let's get going. We've got to get on that shuttle before 7:00!"  
  
"Okay!" The excited child hurried and picked up the lighter suitcase, finally opting to drag it through the door. Heero chuckled at her antics and picked up the other suitcase. Pink, he thought bitterly. I'll never understand why the hell she likes pink so much…  
  
***  
  
  
  
It only took twenty minutes to go to Heero's home and out onto the highway again. Heero stopped by to relieve the butler, maid, and chef of their duties for the weeks they would be gone. He grabbed a bag, shoved some street clothes in it, and they were off again. They drove to the terminal as fast as possible without risking a ticket. That would delay them too much, and both were eager to get as far away from Heero's younger sister as possible. It helped that she was staying on L1, so that way they wouldn't risk meeting her.  
  
It was 6:40 when they finished getting their tickets and sat in the terminal to wait. Dorothy smiled sweetly at everyone who passed, then would make a face at them behind their back. Heero chuckled.  
  
"You'd be in trouble if someone turned and saw you doing that, Dore."  
  
"I don't care, uncle Heero. That guy didn't even smile at me. Stingy bastard."  
  
Heero's eyebrows flew up. "What did you say?" Dorothy's face turned a crimson color.  
  
"Um… nothing."  
  
"Just because I'm not as strict as your mother or Sally doesn't mean you can swear like that, young lady," Heero scolded. Dorothy pouted and quickly promised not to do it again. Dorothy hated having her favorite uncle mad at her. Her only uncle, Heero thought sadly.  
  
"Sally says words like that sometimes, when she thinks I'm not around." Heero blinked at her, trying to imagine the sweet Chinese caretaker saying anything vulgar – ever. Dorothy smiled. "They're not as bad as the ones I've caught mother saying, though."  
  
That was something he could believe. Despite her "innocent" act, he knew very well the mean streak his younger sister had. The only one that surpassed her mean streak was his own, but Dorothy didn't need to know that.  
  
"The shuttle to L2 is now boarding," a feminine voice called over the intercom. Heero gathered up the bags and the two of them walked briskly to where they would board the plane. They only had ten minutes to spare.  
  
"Place your bags on the belt, please." The uniformed woman gestured to the conveyor belt next to her, and Heero happily obliged. As soon as the bags left his arms, he picked up Dorothy and stood straight again. The woman smiled and nodded, allowing them down the walkway. Dorothy smiled sweetly at her and they quickly boarded the plane.  
  
***  
  
When 7:00 rolled around, the shuttle had just leveled off and the 'no electronics' light faded. As if on cue, Heero cell phone started to ring. Glancing at Dorothy, he answered quickly.  
  
"Hello," he said monotonously. He knew it was Relena, but answering that way was a habit.  
  
"Heero," his sister's voice acknowledged him. "I'm glad to see that you took to heart what I said about taking my daughter away without my permission. I can only assume that you've realized that doing that will only cause negative effects in Dorothy's behavior"  
  
Heero smirked. "Of course, Relena. Now why don't you say goodnight to Dorothy and leave us be, hn?"  
  
He handed the phone to his niece immediately, amused as she rolled her eyes and held the phone to her ear.  
  
"Hello mother," Dorothy said softly. "That's just the television, mother. We were waiting for you to call. Of course. Yes, I did. Thank you mother. Good night." She promptly hung up the phone, handing it back to her uncle.  
  
"That went well," Heero commented.  
  
***  
  
The wind was warm and comforting to the few joggers and animals in the park overseen by the Lowe home. Heero Yuy Lowe was the only one to reside in it, so many thought it pointless to have a two-story home, but they just assumed that his hired help lived with him as well.  
  
It was a well-known fact that Heero and Trowa Lowe had planned to move into the house together, living as best friends, brothers, and roommates. They got along wonderfully, and people wondered how the younger daughter fit into the mix.  
  
She didn't.  
  
When the eldest brother died, everyone assumed that Heero would be soon to follow. The two had been inseparable, so why not expect the worst? There were rumors that the only thing that stopped him was his sister's daughter. The young girl was seen with her uncle at benefits, banquets, and meetings alike. When she was around, Heero was a normal person. When she wasn't, he was as good as dead. He wouldn't speak to people, he wouldn't socialize, and he wouldn't eat. He would stand in one place for the entire evening, in his own world.  
  
It was on Odin Lowe's personal request that Dorothy be admitted to these events. It enraged Relena, but she could never deny her father anything.  
  
Dorothy was frequently seen at Heero Lowe's home, and in the park that sat across the road from it. She was an exuberant child, the complete opposite of her uncle.  
  
All these thoughts rested in the mind of one, seated on a bench facing the dark Lowe manor. It was obvious that not all inside were asleep, because there was a dim lamp on in the living room. This stranger walked the park daily, always stopping to rest at the same bench and secretly hoping to catch a glimpse of the stoic heir.  
  
He was suspicious, the resting man. Despite the other people in the park, it was quiet out. The perfect time for something sinister to occur. Something always happened on these nights. Maybe to him, maybe to another person out for a walk, but something would happen. And as he sat watching the large house, it all fell into place.  
  
Seconds later, the home he was watching exploded. There was no warning; it was suddenly there, incinerating the entire home in seconds. The fire crackled and snapped as it ate at the wood of what had been a home and the trees surrounding it. The noise went unnoticed to the stranger, who laid twenty feet back, eyes blank and blood dripping from his ears.  
  
***  
  
"Uncle Heero?" Heero's eyes snapped open and he looked down at his young niece.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
She smiled softly. "Thank you for taking me on this trip, uncle Heero."  
  
He returned the smile. "Anytime, Dorie." He laid his head back against the seat again. "Anytime."  
  
***  
  
TBC  
  
  
  
A/n: (grinning) Confused yet? ^.^ No? Great!  
  
Upcoming: Heero and Dorothy arrive at L2, Dorothy disappears, and we meet Duo Maxwell. Woohoo! 


	2. chapter two

Warnings: AU! Possible Relena OOC (though there's a reason ^^;), maybe a little OOC Heero, eventual shounen-ai. (male/male romantic relationship) If that bugs you, don't read it. Simple as that.  
  
Pairings: Mild 1+2+1  
  
Spoilers: *sighs* Yes. There's Episode Zero stuff in here, and it's probably obvious to see whose. Sorry, you people that haven't seen them! OH, and a smidgen of Heero's. I didn't even notice that, sorry for not warning in the last chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: Fun things like the anime Gundam Wing aren't mine, nor do I hold rights to their characters, plots, or witty sayings. The only thing I own here is the idea for this fanfic. At least, I think that's totally mine… Oh, and cheese is not mine. …Well it isn't!  
  
Notes: This uses "AC" to mark years just like the series, but stuff from GW/EW doesn't exist. Gundanium is a power source.  
  
Okay… Let's do a fun little family tree! Odin Lowe has three kids: Trowa, Heero, and Relena. Relena has a kid named Dorothy, so Dorothy is Heero's niece. The middle names of Trowa, Heero, Relena, and Dorothy are their last names from the original anime. (Which I do not own.) Everyone I just mentioned is related. Dorothy's dad is dead, and Trowa is dead as well. (*sniffle*) …Trowa is not Dorothy's dad. O.o;  
  
I hope that helps a little ^^;  
  
  
  
dead without knowing – chapter two  
  
"Welcome to L2. Please carefully remove carry-ons and other baggage from the overhead compartments and remain seated until the doors are opened. Thank you, and we hope you fly with us in the future."  
  
Heero blinked his eyes open quickly. He had thought he'd only slept for half an hour, but looking outside the plane window, he saw that he was mistaken. They had arrived on the colony, and hour's trip, which happened to be going through a sunshower weather sequence at the moment.  
  
Glancing down at his young niece, he saw that she was sleeping peacefully. Regretfully, he roused her slowly. Blurry crystal eyes focused on him, confusion etched in her features.  
  
"We're here," he informed her. Almost instantly the tired confusion disappeared and was replaced with excitement.  
  
"Great! Let's go, uncle Heero!" Dorothy grinned, a rare change from her usual calm self.  
  
"Sure," he gave her a small smile, standing after his seatbelt was undone. He grabbed Dorothy's hand and together they followed the other passengers out of the plane. Dorothy squealed as raindrops fell on her nose. Heero laughed softly, and they continued to walk slowly as the other passengers hurried towards the large white building.  
  
Upon entering Heero quickly surveyed the room, locating the baggage pickup almost instantly. He tugged on his niece's hand, and they walked briskly to stand and wait next to the conveyor belt. When two large pink suitcases and a small green duffel bag came into view, Dorothy pointed them out and Heero let go of her hand to reach for them. He snatched the duffel first, sliding it down to his elbow, and moved to grab the other two cases with his free hands.  
  
"Dorothy?" he called, stepping back from the conveyor and looking around. Where was Dorothy?  
  
"Dorothy?" he called again, with still no response. He frowned. Sighing, he decided he had no choice. "DOROTHY!" he hollered, causing many people around him to jump in surprise.  
  
"I'm over here, uncle Heero!" Heero looked to his right and saw Dorothy waving from a bench. He pursed his lips, slowly making his way to where his blond niece stood smiling brightly.  
  
"I found us a seat, uncle Heero!" Dorothy beamed, obviously proud that she could do something on her own. Heero found it impossible to stay mad at her.  
  
"That's good, Dorothy. Next time I'd appreciate it if you stayed near me though, okay?" Dorothy nodded quickly, and he handed her the smaller pink suitcase. Dorothy made a face.  
  
"Uncle Heero, do you think we could buy me some suitcases while we're here? I hate this color," Dorothy explained, waving the offending item as she spoke. Heero smirked, nodding.  
  
"Yeah, sure. We can do that later. For now, how about we go rent a car and…"  
  
"Get ice cream?" Dorothy interrupted, eyes shining. Heero blinked in surprise; he had forgotten about the ice cream.  
  
"Of course. We'll get a car, get ice cream, THEN we'll find a hotel. Sound good?"  
  
"Sounds great." Heero smirked and nodded his head to the right. Dorothy hopped off her bench and scuttled off in that direction, Heero at her heels.  
  
***  
  
They decided to walk to where they would be renting a car, since it was only a few minutes from the airport. The map they'd located in the airport had said it was barely a block away. Upon arrival, Heero picked out a gorgeous white convertible with a black roof cover. The assistant smiled brightly.  
  
"A wonderful choice! Are you a man of speed, Mr. Yuy? Customers tend to refer to this particular model as "Wing" because it's so fast." Heero smirked. The car was in almost-mint condition; there had probably been a grand total of two passengers in it before him.  
  
"That's fine," he replied, pulling out his credit card. The assistant's eyes shined at the prospect of money. Heero quickly paid for the rental and the assistant gave him the keys. Heero piled his and Dorothy's suitcases into the car. Dorothy hopped into the passenger's seat, Heero slid into the driver's, and they drove off without so much as a glance at the assistant.  
  
They drove for nearly ten minutes – radio blaring – until Heero spotted an ice cream vendor in a nearby park. He swerved into a parking space, earning some angry honks from other cars in the process. He ignored them, shutting off the car and stepping out. Dorothy hopped out the other side and stuck her tongue out at the cars on the road as he locked the car. Heero nodded to his niece; she smiled and tore across the park towards the vendor. Heero was surprised that the vendor was open so late, but left it to good fortune and trailed along after Dorothy.  
  
When Heero caught up to them, Dorothy was already eating a soft vanilla ice cream cone. Heero smirked, turning to the vendor and fishing through his pockets for some loose cash. Giving the vendor his alias credit card was an option, but he had lots of extra money. He never left home without extra money, there was no telling when the cards might fail him. He had enough money to get access to a decent computer if his cards failed.  
  
Heero prided himself in being a talented hacker, even if it was just a past time. Heero was an honest man, and didn't like to steal from people – especially when he didn't have to.  
  
"Hey, Dore," he called, not turning from where he was checking through his money. "It's getting late. Finish your ice cream and we'll go get a room." He waited for an answer, frowning when one didn't come. He stopped counting, turning to where the blond girl stood. Or, had stood. Dorothy was gone.  
  
"Shit!" Heero hollered, slamming a fistful of cash on the vendor's cart and running off. The vendor looked down at the money in surprise, then glancing up to see where the blue-eyed man had gone.  
  
"Wow," he muttered. "He's fast." Glancing down at the ground a ways from the cart, he saw a half eaten ice cream cone. It was in the same direction that the man had run.  
  
"I hope he finds her before they do…" he murmured, packing up for the day.  
  
***  
  
Mueller ran into an alley, his hand never leaving the mouth of the struggling girl. She had bit him once, but he didn't let small thing like those deter him. He had held her jaw tighter and didn't allow it to happen again. He looked down at the bundle in his arms. She had been so shocked at first that she hadn't put up a fight, but his thighs were going to be bruised the next day from her incessant kicking.  
  
He was sure that the man with her had caught on, so he'd taken great care in swerving through alleyways to lose him. This led him to where he was now: in a dark alley about a mile and a half from that park, holding a small blond child, and getting the shit kicked out of his legs.  
  
"Damnit!" he hollered, shoving the girl away. He knelt on his left knee, checking his bent right. The girl had kicked it, and it throbbed painfully.  
  
"Serves you right," a voice called from the shadows. Mueller tensed instantly – he knew that voice. The girl whirled around, looking in the direction the voice came from. Mueller followed suit, dark blue eyes searching for the source. He swallowed his gasp. In the shadows it was pitch black, except for a bright pair of violet orbs staring at him from within. Mueller gulped.  
  
"Hello, Mueller." The figure stepped from his hiding place, revealing a young man dressed in black riding pants, a black shirt and white turtleneck. His cape swirled around his thighs, leaving only his torso uncovered. Resting against his chest was a shimmering gold cross, and resting against his back was a long auburn braid. It flicked through the air as his head swiveled, taking in the situation with Dorothy and Mueller. The young man frowned.  
  
"Mueller," he scolded. "I thought you'd learned your lesson, especially since I broke your knee last time."  
  
The short-haired man winced at the memory, unconsciously rubbing his knee before he stood.  
  
"You… can't have her, Maxwell!" His voice shook slightly, and the braided man arched an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Really? And who's going to stop me, Mueller? You?"  
  
Mueller swallowed. If he didn't fight, his boss would kill him. But if he did fight…  
  
When Mueller didn't take off running, the man's violet eyes hardened with resolution.  
  
"Go now, Mueller. You're just going to get hurt again. I won't give you another chance."  
  
Mueller snorted. "You know better than anyone that I can't do that, Maxwell."  
  
The man Mueller called Maxwell nodded but didn't move. Mueller sighed at the inevitable and lunged at Maxwell. Dorothy cried out, running deeper into the alley and ducking next to a dumpster. She watched with wide eyes as the violet-eyed man easily evaded Mueller's first punch. The man called Maxwell allowed him one more try before snatching his wrist and pulling it towards his chest.  
  
Off-balance, Mueller stumbled forward. The braided man took this advantage and his knuckles cracked when he rammed them into the side of Mueller's head. The short-haired man crumpled to the ground. His opponent didn't spare him a second glance as he slowly approached the hiding girl. Dorothy stood quickly, brushing off her sun dress and looking at the new stranger with defiant eyes.  
  
"Hey there," the man called, smiling at Dorothy. "I'm Duo. Duo Maxwell. Are you all right?"  
  
Dorothy nodded. "I'm fine."  
  
"Good. What's your name, kiddo?" he asked.  
  
"My name is Dorothy Catalonia," she stated with pride. She wasn't scared anymore, and was fairly sure that this new stranger wasn't going to hurt her.  
  
"Why are you all by yourself, Dorothy?"  
  
"I'm not by myself," she explained. "I was with my uncle before I got dragged away." Duo arched an eyebrow.  
  
"What's your uncle's name?"  
  
Dorothy was young, and since this man saved her, she saw no harm in trusting him. "His name is Heero Yuy."  
  
Both of Duo's eyebrows rose minutely. Unlike the majority of the colony's citizens, he was very informed about the surrounding LaGrange points and their affairs. Despite the aliases, Duo easily recognized that the girl was Dorothy Darlien, which meant that her uncle was Heero Lowe. Duo scowled inwardly.  
  
Spoiled bastard, he thought. He probably hasn't even realized she's gone. I hate fucking rich people, they're all the same.  
  
Outwardly, Duo smiled warmly.  
  
"Well, if your uncle is looking for you, we should go to a place that he'll have no problem finding. Is that all right with you?"  
  
Dorothy bit her lip, then nodded. Duo smiled, reaching for her hand.  
  
"Okay, let's go."  
  
***  
  
Heero growled as he turned another corner in vain. It was becoming painfully obvious that he'd lost the trail of Dorothy and her kidnapper. Damnit, he cursed to himself. I let her down.  
  
Sighing, he decided he had no choice but to inform the authorities. It didn't matter that their vacation would be spoiled, all that mattered was getting Dorothy back, no matter what. He trudged along the sidewalk, head bowed in defeat. He was so lost in his thoughts that he almost ran into a late-night fruit vendor and a young girl, presumably his grandchild.  
  
"Hey, are you okay young man?" the old fruit vendor asked, smiling softly. The young girl approached him cautiously, looking up at his face.  
  
"Are you lost?"  
  
Heero smiled bitterly. "I've been lost since the day I was born." The old man bit his lip, but the girl continued.  
  
"That's sad. I'm not lost. I'm out with my grandfather. We sell fruit to tourists and citizens of the colony."  
  
Heero's eyes softened. "That's good, that's a good job. You should be proud."  
  
The old man gazed at Heero curiously. "Have you lost something, young man? Wallet? Keys?"  
  
Heero shook his head. "Child."  
  
The vendor's eyes widened. "You lost your child?"  
  
"My niece was taken from me an hour ago. I… couldn't find her."  
  
"What does she look like?" the little girl asked. Heero cocked his head to the side, thinking quietly.  
  
"She has light blond hair that reaches her lower back. She loves her hair, and when her mother tries to cut it she goes insane." Heero smiled wistfully at thoughts of his young niece. "She has light blue eyes, and her eyebrows are… forked." He smirked at the memory of his niece when she was teased about her eyebrows. The boy had been lucky that he could still walk.  
  
"Is her name Dorothy?" Heero looked up in surprise.  
  
"What?" he rasped.  
  
The old fruit vendor nodded. "She passed through here forty-five minutes ago with that Maxwell kid. He bought her an apple. Don't worry, she's in safe hands and will stay that way until you get to her. Maxwell doesn't let anything happen to the kids that get lost like that."  
  
"Which way did they go?" Heero exclaimed. The vendor looked surprised, then apologetic.  
  
"I'm sorry, I thought you were from around here. You looked familiar." The old man paused, pursing his lips. He then waved his hand eastward. "Go three blocks down this way, then turn right and you should see the Maxwell church from there."  
  
"Thank you," he breathed, before running in the direction the old man pointed.  
  
The old man smiled. "Well now, I believe it's time to go home to your pappa, Marie." Mariemeia nodded, red curls bouncing.  
  
"Of course, grandpa Dekim."  
  
Heero tore around the corner, not stopping for and in fact jumping over a fire hydrant that was in his way. He saw a large cross on a building ahead of him, and he put on a final burst of speed as he ran up the church steps.  
  
***  
  
Duo watched as an anxious looking man about his age stumbled into the church. Probably tripped on that extra step, Duo thought, amused. He stood at the far end of the church and was leaning against a pew of the first row. He regarded the newcomer evenly as a piercing cobalt gaze focused on him.  
  
"Where's Dorothy?" the young man called, marching down the center aisle of the church. An image of the blue-eyed boy in a wedding gown forced him to repress a chuckle.  
  
"Hello, how are you? I'm fine, thank you. Welcome to Maxwell Church, also known as Maxwell Orphanage. I'm Duo Maxwell. How can I help you?"  
  
The newcomer's eyes narrowed. "I'll ask you again. Where is my Dorothy?"  
  
"What makes you think she's here?" Duo responded, giving the most pitiful expression he could muster. Heero blinked in surprise, his stoic act completely demolished by one look.  
  
"Uh…"  
  
"Well, she is here. She's in the back, but I'd like to ask you how the hell you lost her in the first place."  
  
Heero felt himself heating up. He was sure his face was turning red, though he had no idea why. "IwaspayingforhericecreamandwhenIturnedaroundshewasgoneandtheguythatsoldfrui tsaidshewashere," he mumbled. Duo smirked, nodding as if he understood.  
  
"Yeah, she said she was hungry so I got her an apple. The fruit guy, eh? Well… he's a good judge of character so I assume he had good reason to tell you, Heero."  
  
"How did you know my… wait… nevermind." Heero sighed at his niece's lack of secrecy. Duo shook his head, smiling.  
  
"Whatever. Come with me, I'll take you to Dorothy. I gotta say though, Sister Helen's taken quite a shine to her and she might not give her back." At Heero's widened eyes, he chuckled. "I'm kidding, Heero. Lighten up."  
  
Duo turned on his heel, walking down to the other end of the pew and marching through a door to the side of the room. Heero followed suit, eyes widening when he saw the run-down room that they called a kitchen. The wallpaper was peeling off the walls, and there were chunks missing from the ceiling. Two lightbulbs hung from open fixtures, lighting up the room fairly well. There was a large rectangular table in the middle of the room, with books under one of the legs to keep it steady. There were assorted chairs ranging from normal wooden chairs to lawn chairs. On one of the lawn chairs sat Dorothy, who looked up in surprise when Heero walked in.  
  
"Uncle Heero!" she cried, jumping up and running to him. He scooped her up and hugged her tightly, oblivious to the watchful gaze of Duo and a nun that had been sitting next to Dorothy.  
  
"Never do that to me again, Dore."  
  
"I'm sorry, uncle Heero. I was lucky though, Duo saved me!" Dorothy smiled at the violet-eyed boy, who grinned in return.  
  
Heero pursed his lips, setting Dorothy down and approaching Duo. "Thank you," he said. "Thank you for helping my niece." He held out a hand, which Duo met and shook roughly.  
  
"Not a problem, I was happy to do it. Although," he added, eyeing Heero suspiciously. "I think I may have to give out more of my hospitality."  
  
Heero arched an eyebrow in confusion, releasing his grip on the young man's hand. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, Dorothy tells me you haven't got a hotel." Heero nodded. "Well, it's holiday season. Every single hotel in this district is booked solid for like a week."  
  
Dorothy's jaw dropped. "You're kidding, right?" Duo shook his head, and Dore whirled to look at her uncle. "What are we going to do, uncle Heero?"  
  
The nun, who had stayed quiet during the entire conversation, chose to speak up. "You are welcome to stay here as long as need be, if you wish."  
  
Heero shook his head to decline. "No, we couldn't impose.."  
  
"Don't worry about it," the nun waved her hand dismissively. "If you wish to pay us back, it can be arranged, but is not needed."  
  
Heero bit his lip, considering carefully. He glanced at Duo, who was watching the exchange avidly. He looked down at Dorothy, who was smiling at the idea, and finally returned his gaze to the woman.  
  
"I accept your offer, thank you." He smiled a ghost of a smile he assumed was friendly. "Show me what you wish me to do."  
  
***  
  
End Chapter Two  
  
TBC  
  
El: Well…. Hey, look, it's Duo! ^^;;; There's no Relena in this chapter…Gee, I wonder how she's taking the "death" of her brother and daughter? That's coming up, along with exactly –what- Heero has to do at the church… 


	3. chapter three

Warnings: AU! Possible Relena OOC (though there's a reason ^^;), shounen-ai. (male/male romantic relationship) If that bugs you, don't read it. Simple as that. 

Pairings: Mild 1+2+1

Spoilers: Yes.** There's Episode Zero stuff in here... Sorry you people that haven't seen them! **

Disclaimer: Fun things like the anime Gundam Wing aren't mine, nor do I hold rights to their characters, plots, or witty sayings. The only thing I own here is the idea for this fanfic. At least, I think that's totally mine… Oh, and ice cream is not mine. …Well it isn't!

Notes: This uses "AC" to mark years just like the series, but stuff from GW/EW doesn't exist. Gundanium is a power source.

 Okay… Here's the fun little family tree again! Odin Lowe has three kids: Trowa, Heero, and Relena. Relena has a kid named Dorothy, so Dorothy is Heero's niece. The middle names of Trowa, Heero, Relena, and Dorothy are their last names from the original anime. (Which I do not own.) Everyone I just mentioned is related. Dorothy's dad is dead, and Trowa is dead as well. (*sniffle*) …Trowa is not Dorothy's dad. O.o;

I hope that helps a little ^^;

Thank yous: 

**dead without knowing – chapter three**

"I accept your offer, thank you." He smiled a ghost of a smile he assumed was friendly. "Show me what you wish me to do."

***

"Well then, I suppose introductions are in order." The woman smiled brightly, standing and holding out her hand. "My name is Sister Helen. I'm sure Duo has introduced himself already." The woman, who couldn't be more than forty, smiled expectantly. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Heero said, shaking the woman's hand. "My name is Heero Yuy. I can't thank you enough for your offer."

Sister Helen's laughter reminded Heero of tiny bells. She shook her head.

"It really is no trouble. And considering the fact that Duo will probably work you senseless, I doubt you'll be thanking me later." Heero arched an eyebrow at her response but said nothing.

"Oi, Heero. If you want to use the shower or something you're going to have to wait until tomorrow. I shut the water off before I left." Duo shrugged.

"That's all right. I can wait."

Duo grinned. "All right then. Follow me and I'll show you to the room." He turned on his heel, not even glancing back to see if Heero was following.

"You might want to hurry," Sister Helen advised. "Or you'll get lost." Heero nodded in thanks and followed the violet-eyed boy. He followed the flick of a braid for a few minutes before finally catching up to the elusive brunette. He was standing in front of a closed wooden door, arms crossed over his chest and head bowed. If Heero hadn't known better, he'd have thought Duo to be sleeping.

"This isn't a hotel, so there aren't many rooms," Duo mumbled, not moving from his place.

"That's fine; I'm grateful to the fact that we can stay here." Violet eyes flickered open and studied Heero curiously.

"You're going to be sharing a room with me."

Duo had to applaud Heero for how well he took the news. A normal person would have – to put it bluntly – freaked out at the thought of sharing a room with the loud-mouthed boy, but it was not the case with Heero. There was merely a slight inclination of his right eyebrow and a nod of acceptance.

"Where is Dorothy staying?"

"With the other kids," Duo replied, moving to open the door. He wondered how calm Heero would be after seeing the INSIDE of his room…

"The other kids?" Heero asked. He hadn't seen any other children since he'd arrived.

"Maxwell Church also serves as an orphanage." Duo grinned proudly. "I should know, I grew up here." He flung the door open, stepping in and flicking the light switch on the wall. Duo glanced back and could barely restrain his laughter when he saw the look of shock on Heero's face.

He couldn't blame him, really. The walls were covered black paint, giving the room a dark feeling all around. The one large bed in the room wasn't made, with black covers falling off it and onto the floor. Well, what you could see of the floor. The floor was littered with clothing ranging from children's clothes to adult clothes. Books were strewn from wall to wall, including mangas, novels, magazines, and Heero wondered if there was a doujinshi or two hidden somewhere. The closet – or what he assumed was a closet – was shut tight, and Heero dreaded to think about what he'd find in there.

Duo stood in the middle of the chaos, grinning at him. "Welcome home, Heero."

Heero grunted, slowly making his way to the bed. He still had his shoes on and didn't really want to walk on the clothes, so he did his best to step around them.

"How can you live like this?" he asked, picking boxers off the bed and throwing them on the floor. Upon further inspection he found three socks and another pair of shorts. Duo obviously hadn't been expecting company. The blue-eyed man made sure to steer clear of the dressers, not particularly interested in finding out any secrets about his new roommate.

"You get used to it," came the reply. It was muffled, and when Heero turned to look, Duo was gone. He glanced around the room and finding that he wasn't in it, made his way to the door. He walked out into the hallway, glancing around and moving in the direction the voice came from. He walked through a doorway and found himself in a bathroom, and Duo messing around with the sink. There was a child standing next to him, watching every move he made with intensity.

"Did you get it?" the child questioned.

"No, I gotta take the tap off. Hand me that screwdriver, would ya Greg?" The young boy nodded vigorously, snatching a screwdriver from on top of the toilet and handing it to Duo. After a few twists and a creaking noise, Duo wrestled the tap cover off and blinked down at the pipe. 

"Oops," he murmured. He heard a faint hissing noise, and his eyes widened. "Oh shit. Watch out!" Duo snatched the boy up into his arms, curling around him and diving to the side of the sink when suddenly, it exploded outward in a steady stream of hot water. Luckily, Duo and Greg had gotten out of the way in time. Duo chuckled, standing and brushing off his knees. He turned towards the door and stopped dead, jaw dropping in shock. 

In the doorway stood a very disoriented and very WET Heero Yuy, who was looking down at his clothes like he knew there was something wrong but not what it was.

"Heero?" Duo called hesitantly. Said man's head snapped up, and all confusion erased itself from his mind the moment he laid eyes on Duo's face.

"What did you do?" he whispered. He couldn't risk speaking; he would probably end up screaming at the top of his lungs.

"It was an accident, Heero! Man, I'm really sorry! Do you have any clothes you can change into?" Heero blinked at the question, cocking his head to the side.

"No. Our suitcases  are still in the car we rented. Which is still out at the park Dorothy got snatched from. Which is way the hell over there somewhere," Heero growled, waving a hand through the air.

Duo rubbed the back of his head. "Geez, I'm sorry man. You're soaked. I can lend you some of my clothes, though. We're about the same height." Duo grinned, for the first time realizing that he was taller than the other man was. "And the fact that I'm taller won't make a difference for you. Better too big than too small, right?" 

Heero eyed him warily. He checked his clothes once more to make sure that he absolutely needed to change, and nodded in defeat. Duo grinned, walking out of the bathroom with Heero following. Neither noticed the small boy watching curiously from the corner of the room.

***

"There's no way, Duo." Heero crossed his arms in defiance, cringing as the sleeves of his shirt made a squishing noise with the movement.

"Oh come on, Heero! It's the only one left! Just put it on and stop complaining, will ya?" Duo tossed the shirt to Heero, turning away quickly when the blue eyed boy started taking off his shirt. He rummaged through the closet a bit more, digging through the knee-high pile of clothes for a pair of sweatpants he KNEW was in there. It was bad enough that Heero refused to wear anything with words and sparkles on it, but he also refused any tanktops or midriffs. How could he help it if those were his favorite types of clothes?

"A ha!" he exclaimed, yanking out a pair of gray sweats. He spun on his heel, jaw dropping at the sight he found.

Heero had obviously had trouble taking off his shirt, and had only just gotten it off. He was now standing in the middle of Duo's room, shirtless, with his pants sticking to his legs like tights. He peered at the shirt curiously, as if worried it would attack him or some such thing, not particularly fond of the color orange in the first place.

Duo had always known he preferred men to women; that much had been proven with the disaster that had been his last relationship. He'd realized Heero was a very attractive man since the moment he'd first entered the church, but he never thought he'd have to worry about it. Even worse, they were sharing a bed together! Duo knew that perfect body of Heero's would be visiting in his dreams – his mind was traitorous like that.

Heero finally yanked the shirt over his head, breaking the spell on Duo and snapping him back to reality. The violet-eyed man swallowed hard, tossing the gray pants to Heero quickly.

"It gets cold in here at night," he said. "You'll appreciate the warmer pants later on." Heero nodded, and proceeded to unbutton his jeans.

Oh dear lord, Duo thought. Is he really going to do that with ME in the ROOM?! "Hey Heero," Duo called, hoping the other man didn't hear the change in his pitch. "Do you… uh… need underwear or something?"

Heero smirked. Duo didn't like the evil implications of that smirk. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine."

Duo just nodded mutely, turning and pretended to busy himself with sorting through the mass of clothes. A thought struck him; one that didn't involve turning and looking at Heero.

"Oi, Heero? When you close the door to my room it locks on its own. You gotta be careful not to lock yourself out. I can't be picking locks seven times a day, ya know?" A grunt was his only reply, and he searched for something else to say. "We'll go grab your stuff in the morning, but we're gonna have to do it before our chores."

That caught Heero's attention.

"Chores?" Duo grinned, thankful Heero couldn't see his face.

"Well yeah, Heero. That's your payment to us for staying here. I usually do 'em myself, but I'm sure there's lots you can do to help. And you don't have to worry about Dore; Sister Helen and Father Maxwell take care of all the kids. On Saturday's they go to the park and stuff, so we'll be cleaning the whole building then."

"Hn." Heero nodded to himself. Today was Thursday, or what was left of a Thursday, so he had to make sure to get a lot of rest the following night. He finished getting dressed and turned Duo. He was amused to find that Duo was carefully keeping his gaze everywhere but in his direction. He admitted to finding the other man attractive and, in his own way, charming, but didn't plan on acting on these observations unless Duo showed any kind of interest in him. Heero highly doubted that he did, but that just made things easier. He didn't need to be getting into a relationship while on vacation.

"I'm done." He could almost see the tension leave Duo's stance, and his newfound roommate spun around and grinned at him. 

"Well, c'mon. We'll go meet Father Maxwell and then say goodnight to the kids. And then," he held up a finger, clearly enjoying his role of being in charge. "And then, we sleep."

Heero merely nodded, following Duo as he walked out into the hallway. Duo talked over his shoulder as he walked.

"First thing tomorrow we're going to fix that bathroom sink, Heero. Looks like it needs a more thorough job than I thought." He didn't wait for a response, turning down a new corner and knocking on a large wooden door. A voice beckoned them to enter from the other side, and Duo turned the knob on the door and yanked it open. Heero immediately noticed the man in a priest's uniform sitting behind a desk. There were religious relics hung on the walls, but Heero knew little of religion and did not know what purpose they served. 

"Ah," the old priest said, smiling broadly. "You must be Heero. Sister Helen informed me of your arrival, and your predicament."

Heero nodded. "I would like to than you again for allowing myself and my niece to stay here."

Father Maxwell stood, walking around the desk and holding out his hand. Heero met it and they shook hands briefly. 

"There is no need for thanks. I am Father Maxwell. It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Yuy." The priest's gaze switched to Duo, who had been watching the exchange with interest. "Duo, you know how I feel about you staying up so late," he scolded. "You should go to sleep now."

Duo held up his hands in surrender, nodding his head. "Yes, yes, of course, Father." He grinned. "Heero just wanted to say goodnight to his niece and we were going to sleep after that."

Father Maxwell nodded, arching an eyebrow in Heero's direction. He looked rather young, and could probably pass for a teenager if he wanted to. Duo, however, looked like a teenager and had a personality to match. Secretly he wondered if the violet-eyed man would ever REALLY grow up.

"Don't let him hog all the covers, Heero. He usually ends up sprawled across the bed as well – I hope that doesn't bother you. If it does, I'm sure we can find another place for you to sleep."

Heero's face didn't change much, but managed to look a bit amused. "No, it's not a problem." He smirked, and Duo noticed it was identical to the one he'd worn earlier. "If worse comes to worse, Duo will probably end up on the floor." At Father Maxwell's raised eyebrows, Heero added quickly, "unintentionally, of course."

Father Maxwell laughed, clapping a hand on Heero's shoulder. "I like you, son. I hope you stick around for awhile. Now, if you'll both excuse me, I have some work to take care of." 

The two young men bid the priest a good night, and left the office. Duo led Heero to the children's room, and Heero was surprised at the amount of children that fit in the small room. There had to be at least twenty. He spotted Dorothy sitting on a bed, away from the other children. Apparently Duo did as well, for he started making his way across the room to her.

"Duo!" a handful of children chorused, running towards the lanky man and latching onto random parts of his body. Amazingly, Duo managed to keep his balance and didn't topple over. Heero eyed the display with amusement, walking over and sitting next to Dorothy on her bed. She smiled.

"Uncle Heero. Have you come to wish me a goodnight? I'm not a baby anymore." Heero chuckled.

"You'll always be a baby in my eyes, Dorothy. How are you doing?"

"I'm perfectly fine, uncle Heero. Sister Helen is a wonderful person, Father Maxwell is a very kind man, and Duo is a sweetheart." Dorothy's smile broadened when her uncle stole another glance at the braided man. "Apparently," she continued. "You agree."

Heero flicked his niece's nose, smiling at the disgruntled look she gave him. "That would not be any of your business." He kissed her forehead, moving to stand. "Good night, Dorothy. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, uncle Heero. Try not to wake the entire building with your snoring, will you?"

Heero laughed out loud, earning himself a surprised look from Duo. "I'll try, Dore." He shook his head, still smiling, and turned to find Duo eyeing him from among a group of children.

"Didn't know you had it in ya, Heero," Duo called. He managed to remove the children from him, walking over to the cobalt-eyed man. "Shall we?" he asked, holding his hand out jokingly.

Heero eyed his hand, turning away with a "hn". Duo grinned.

"I'll take that as a yes." He turned to the children, who were slowly climbing back onto their beds. "'Night, guys!"

Another chorus, this time of "goodnights" rang out. Heero smiled at his niece, who had also called out. He turned on his heel and walked out of the room, Duo following him with a mischievous grin on his face.

***

Whee, chapter. ^^; Dunno when the next one'll come out… hope this one was okay. Coming up: Chores. Gotta love to hate 'em. 


End file.
